Nomad-Dollars-Sense-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1102

Nomad Dollar Sense Part2

Firstly to focus on nomad dollars and sense in Part2 we’re going to be talking about leading economic indicators. Details in Nomad-Dollars-Sense-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1102. For references to details in this podcast listen to Part1 of this series and Bob Davis Podcast 1069.

Don’t Be Afraid Of Numbers

Secondly I use a few numbers.

Data Links With Charts

Therefore I’ll be posting a series of links to the data and charts for that data here.

Because we all know charts often make raw numbers a little clearer.

Not Just Reciting Numbers

However listeners and subscribers should know I’ve worked very hard to keep from just reciting numbers.

Context and Relevance

That is to say that where ever time permits in Nomad-Dollars-Sense-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1102 I’ll explain the context and relevance of an indicator.

Most importantly these leading economic indicators do not suggest a healthy economy.

Certainly things could change to the better…

Look Beyond Main Stream

But for the time being we would all be better served to look beyond the mainstream and main street story.

Leading Indicators

To begin with here’s a link to the conference board’s leading indicators.

Hours Worked

And hours worked by Americans nationally.

US GDP

Here’s the GDP numbers for the United States.

Consumer Price Index

And the Consumer Price Index.

Rents Headed Down

More importantly when it comes to rents, take a look at the Zillow Rent Index.

Especially relevant here is the fact that thousands of apartments are being built or coming on line at this time.

Moreover while that’s better for renters it’s not good news if you just bought an apartment building.

In addition this is a number which speaks to inflation overall which still shows shelter elevated.

Producer Price Index

Even more when it comes to inflation the PPI is a better forward indicator of economic growth than the CPI.

Inflation Disinflation Deflation

To sum up these are just some of the data that suggests we’re moving pretty quickly through the inflation, disinflation and deflation sequence.

CRE Loans

Again on consumer and commercial real estate here’s the commercial real estate loan application chart.

Commercial Real Estate Defaults

As an aside commercial real estate defaults are at a fourteen year high.

Mortgage Applications

And mortgage loan applications are down significantly.

Case Schiller

Finally the Case Schiller Home Price Index has been contracting for while and is now dropping. This is the first decline in several years.

Manufacturing

Equally important are the manufacturing numbers.

Oil

Correspondingly the commodity of oil is not following the rosy predictions of the International Oil Agency.

Corporate Profits Already In Recession

As an illustration the American Consumer is also not cooperating …corporate profits are in a recession.

Consumer Credit

Another bell weather is total consumer credit.

Consumer Credit Interest Rates Eating Us Alive

And average consumer credit rates are more than 23 percent these days.

Baltic Dry Is Dry

Furthermore when it comes to transportation costs the Baltic Dry index for the far east has deteriorated significantly.

Real GDP

Another indicator is Real GDP.

Money Supply

By all means the most important indicator and noteworthy metric is the actual money supply.

Again this is not a robustly healthy economy.

To be sure if it was I wouldn’t have to do this podcast series.

Economic Cycles Are Not Synchronized

All things considered Doctor Lacy Hunt’s views on the economic cycle are salient. Watch this video.

In conclusion there’s a lot of data to unpack.

Looking Closer

But looking closer might be the best thing we can do for ourselves right now.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Nomad-Dollars-Sense-Part2-Bob Davis Podcast 1102

Economic-Boom-Smoke-And-Mirrors?-Bob Davis Podcast 872

Everyone Gets An Award. So What?

These days we live in a world where everyone gets an award for participation. Every now and then reality intrudes on our blissful paradise. We’ll talk about the 3rd quarter GDP numbers and what they mean in Economic-Boom-Smoke-And-Mirrors?-Bob Davis Podcast 872.

Ballyhoo and BS

We’ve been the victims of economic ballyhoo at least since 2016. Even more for years since the recession of 2008 we’ve been sold all kinds of snake oil. Green Shoots. The Light At The End Of The Tunnel. Priming The Pump. Economic Boom!

GDP Is The Yardstick

Gross Domestic Product is the yardstick by which we measure the economic performance of the world’s countries. This is especially relevant in the United States, where we will choose a new president and congress in 2020.

How Are We Doing?

Economy is one of the yard sticks by which we determine how our leaders ‘are doing’ at their jobs.

Third Quarter

Therefore when the third quarter GDP numbers came out this week, we now have a third data point on which to judge US economic performance in 2019.

Smoke and Mirrors?

How are we doing? We’ll find out in Economic-Boom-Smoke-And-Mirrors?-Bob Davis Podcast 872.

What’s A Boom?

First of all exactly what does an economic ‘boom’ look like and are we really living through one?

What About All The Other Stats?

Second, what about other measurements like employment, government spending, consumer spending and productivity?

Concentrate On Outcomes

I have often described my mission with these podcasts as a quest to concentrate on outcomes and relatively objective analysis of those outcomes.

No Predictions

Above all I avoid predictions. I won’t use superlatives to describe how great or bad things are. I do not want tell listeners what they’re supposed to think or advocate for.

More Questions

In conclusion, these new numbers raise more questions than answers.

In addition, what about inflation, business investment and growth in the future.

Moreover what about intervention by central banks?

I wonder, if there’s an economic boom why do we need so much government spending and interventions to keep it going? What about the enormous spending deficits and public debt?

Meeting Challenges

Finally what are the biggest economic and therefore social challenges ahead. Are we on path to address those challenges?

I don’t hear too much talk about that on the campaign trail, in government and in the media.

Sponsored by John D. Scott Personal Injury Lawyer and Hoffman Hamer and Associates

Economic-Boom-Smoke-And-Mirrors?-Bob Davis Podcast 872

 

 

 

Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702

Controversy in the wake of another mass shooting event distracts everyone from what is really important. Three key stories you missed, show how our government is ruining our future. In Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702.

Trump Supports a 25 Cent Gas Tax That Sucks Up Your Tax Cut

First of all while small business owners optimistically predict a booming economy a republican president has told democrat lawmakers he would support a twenty five cent increase in the federal gas tax on gasoline and diesel. There goes your tax cut!

Conservatives Spend More Than Obama

Especially relevant for fiscal conservatives is a four trillion dollar budget from the president. Moreover congress increased spending by hundreds of billions of dollars in the most recent continuing resolution. There are conservatives? In Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702.

Solution To Fools Getting Their News From FaceBook? More Regulation

What’s more in the wake of indictments for a score of Russians and a few Americans for allegedly manipulating ‘The Internet’ to influence the recent US Presidential election, both sides of the political divide want ‘regulations’. So much for free speech!

I Guess Spending And Debt Is The Republican Way

More importantly do not take these financial mistakes lightly. US government debt is nearly 20 trillion dollars. Americans themselves carry something like 13 trillion dollars in debt. Storm clouds are building in the bond markets. We’ll talk about it in Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702.

You Can’t Make America Great Carrying Trillions Of Debt

Americans cannot be self reliant and strong if they don’t figure out how to assemble the facts about what is known on any particular news story. We cannot make america great again if elected leaders can’t stop spending more and borrowing more.

Freedom Is In Our Genes And Other Myths

In conclusion the idea that ‘freedom’ and ‘democracy’ are in our genes is nonsense. We aren’t free if all of us ask the government to spend more, regulate more and ‘do something’ about every little problem. For me, the lack of principle of both political parties is shocking and dangerous. Unfortunately for so called ‘conservatives’ this lack of principle is most visible among republicans.

Find out what needs to be done and how to do it in Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702.

Sponsored by Ryan Plumbing and Heating of Saint Paul

Gun Control Fight Hides Important News-Internet-Spending-Taxes-Principles-Podcast 702